23th February 2025
The Active City Forum
K.Yossapon Boonsom participated as a Speaker at the Active City Forum Activate City for Healthier Life, in Panel Discussion Program session.
Building a ‘Healthy City in Every Dimension’ is no longer a distant goal for Thailand. But where do we start, and what preparations are needed? What steps have successful countries taken? Join us in learning from cities worldwide, setting the right goals for our own context, and contributing to policy recommendations that will transform Thailand into a truly sustainable Healthy City!
On Sunday, February 23, 2025, Mr. Yossapon Boonsom, Founding Director of Shma Company Limited, participated in the Active City Forum: Activate City for Healthier Life, a platform dedicated to exploring all dimensions of urban health. He took on the role of Speaker in the session: Active Policy Forum – Panel Discussion Program.
This session addressed the drive to create healthy cities through research, urban design, and multi-sector collaboration—all essential for enhancing people’s well-being. Beyond professional efforts, knowledge-sharing with networks and communities plays a crucial role in fostering cooperation towards ‘Healthy Spaces’, ensuring adaptability and integration on a global scale.
At the beginning of the discussion, Mr. Yossapon explored urban development models from different countries, including ‘Co-Creation Model’ (Bangkok & Yala, Thailand), where local communities take the initiative to shape their own cities, ‘Collaborative Platform’ (Malaysia), where Think City, a national organization, integrates all stakeholders to develop a shared vision and connect resources, ‘Government-led Development’ (Singapore), which follows a strong state-driven policy framework ensuring clear guidelines and shared urban visions, ‘Life-first Cities for People’ (Denmark), which seamlessly integrates top-down and bottom-up approaches through open communication, pilot projects, and expert collaboration, and ‘Public-Private Partnership (PPP)’ (Japan), which encourages cities to grow while enhancing public health, with private spaces becoming part of the public realm.
Experts from various sectors shared their insights on driving urban health transformation. Mr. Sanon Wangsrangboon (Deputy Governor of Bangkok) advocated for legal reforms to empower local administrations, inclusive urban development, and policies addressing economic well-being. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Wichai Kanchansuwan (Deputy Mayor of Hat Yai City) highlighted co-design, decentralization, and community-driven urban improvements. Mr. Monthavee Hongyok (President, Phuket Federation of Industries) discussed the challenges of balancing tourism with sustainable development under Phuket Go Green. Mr. Mek Sayasevi (Director, CROSSs) focused on youth-driven urban innovations. Dr. Suthep Phetmak (Secretary-General, National Health Commission Office) emphasized holistic well-being across four dimensions: physical, mental, social, and intellectual health. Mr. Suwanchai Sompong (Director, Academic & Research Group for Local Development) addressed the vision of Smart & Healthy Cities under Thailand’s urban strategy. Assoc. Prof. Prayong Phosriprasert (Director, Architecture for Community and Environment, Arsom Silp Institute of the Arts) explored solutions to bridge the gap between top-down policies and grassroots realities.
After the discussion, participants engaged in a collaborative policy exchange session titled “What’s Next: Thailand’s Healthy City Development”, a session for lesson-sharing and brainstorming, ensuring that ideas and insights contribute to real-world urban transformation. Let’s work together to shape a healthier, more sustainable future for our cities!
